symons



W. E. SYMUNS. SHOCK ABSORBIN G MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l2, 1920.

` Patented Nov. 15, 192L 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. E. SYMONS.

SHOCK ABSURBING MECHANISM. APPLICATION HLED JUNE 12, 1920.

- 1,396,895 Y Patented Nov. 15, 1921;

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WILSON E. SYMONS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHOCK-ABSORBING MECHAN'ISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

Application filed .Tune 12, 1920. Serial No. 388,496.

T o allie/wm zt may con-cern:

Be it known that. I, llfnsox E. SYMoNs, a citizen of the United States,residing al: New York. in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented eertain new und useful Improvements in Shock-AbsorbingMechanism; and l do hereby declare the, following to be a full. clear.and exaet description of the invention. sueh as will en- :ible othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make sind. use the same.

Mv invention rebates to shock absorbing mechanism. and while especiallyadapted for use ns the cushioning unit of draftappliances for railwayears and locomotives, eopnble of advantageous npplientlon wherever it,is desired to cushion and absorb .great 1dioeks and strains. The primaryobjert of the invention is to provide :L meehenisni ot' the ehuroeterindiented whleh 1s strong. durable. efficient and of high shriekabsorbing eupaeity. and whieh is n eomplrto selt-eontnined uniteonsisting of few and simple-portsv none oli whieh is friiill.(lenernllv `stated. this objef't is :ieeompllshed by enlist-.vueling themechanism with n easing boring upon `its interior n plurality otronvergrnt channels within whirh al pluralityl of relntivelv movliblewedge memberV is slidnble -iiiinltuneously. the wedge members lulvinginterposed: il'unxrlrly extending ,springsl whieh are :rlnpted to beermniresseil by Ihr relative movement. ot' the \\'e1lge.-s.:|nd theinner ends of the wedges engaging :i tollower whieh is .nlnpteil toenergize longb tudinullv rolnpressible .springr meub.- within themising. .said follower :ind Suid wedges having engaging lof-w extendingobliquely to the diret-tion of'trnvel ol the follower. There nre otherfeatures ol my invention by 'hich rertnin :ulvuntug'es :are attained.:is` will hereinnfterlippenr.

l'n tlul drawings il-lustrntior the heft i'orxn iu 'whirh l rontompluleapplying the prineiple ol' niv in\'ention. tlw seope whereof is pointedout in the ehnnis.--

Figure l is n longitudinnl seetionnl view ot' n short( absorbingrmei-bonbm embodying the invention.

I'ig. 2 is a View of the inerhunisnl pzutly in end elevation und partlyin sertion. :i portion ofthe follower being broken nwfiy.

Fig. Il is a seetion on thil limA il-. Fig. l.

Fig. -l is n section on the line i--l Fig. l. ',Fig. is :x longitudinalrentres! sertiou the Abody of the raising illustrated in Fig. l.

Fig-.6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6--6, Fig. 2.

" Fig. 7 is a detail elevation of n portion of the rear end of thecasing illustrating the preferred means for detnehably eonnoeting thecover plate or elosu re thereto.

In the drawings, 1 is the body of u easing which is adapted to reeeiveeoperalting spring means and friction elements. sind easing memberpreferably being open nt both ends to facilitate the introduction andreY movnl of parts from its interior. The opening at one end of theeasing. whieh for ron venienee of description muy be designated as theinner end, is preferably closed by a detnehable eap or rover plate 2whieh is rigidly secured to the body of the. easing l. while theopposite, or tls it muy be milled, the outer` end of the easing. isprovided with :l follower Il which is slidoble longitudinally withrespeet to the body of the rusing und which forms :l closure for theouter end thereof. said follower 3 being nttuehed to the 9easing undthereby. in eonjuneton with the 'losure 2. serving to retain inassembled position the ports of the meelmnisnl whieh :iro within theeasing. v

The niezms preferably employed l'or :lttuebing the members 2 und il tothe body of the easing l :ire substuntinlly identit-ul. :md ronnist ot'notehed posts entering rorrespouding longitudinally extending sorbets inthe body ot' the easing und Herured thereto by suitable keys. The postsl. whieh ure. iiitegrnlly united to the elo'sure 2. :are ol' i \'liudrienl form. spin-ed in rertiungulnr relntion :1nd enter the rearwardlyopening eylindriezxl sorkets 5 in 'he body of the ensiug. AS Shown inFig. -l. enrll of these posts is nott'hed or shouldered lo provide :ipnssugo for the key (i whieh extends through :l slot in the body ot' theraising so :is to intersect the :idjueent soehet 5. lly this moons the'losnre 2 is `rigidly but detzlrlmbly ronneeted to the body ot' theeasing. 'lho posts Fl with whieh the follower Il is integrnlly providedure also prelerubly rylindrirnl in form und ezuh entersl :nul is:ulnpled to reeiprorrde in :l rorres|iondingly .shaped forwnrdly openingsoi-kel El in the body portion l of the raising. As shown in Fig. (l,ein-h of the soeliets il prefernllly houses4 :i spring lll oneY end ol'whieh rests upon tho bottom of the sorltet und the other end of whirhengages the :ldjueent end of the post, 8. These springs, which :1repreferably lll) llt)

l) ii assembled in the sockets under some initial. compression, act asauxiliaries to the main springs, aid in restoring the parts to normalposition after they have been actuated in the operation oi absorbingshock1 and also serve to maintain the over all length of the mechanismby preserving a detinite relation ot the follower 5l to the outer end ofthe body of the casing 1 when the parts are in normal position. Toconnect the follower 3 to the casing so that it may slide with respectto the latte-r, as well as tor the purpose ot limiting the outwardmovement ot' the follower, the posts 8 are formed with elongated notches11 (see Fig. 6l which are respectively adapted to receive lieys l2passing through slots 13 in the hodjvv ot the l ingr 1. The keys 12 byengaging' the posts 8 limit the outward movement of the follower3,.while the slots 11 in the posts are. longer than the. keys 1.2 arewide and the follower 3 is thereby permitted to reciprocate with respectto the body ot' the casingv l so as to effect compression of the springs10.

The bodv of the casing is formed upon its interior adjacent the follower3 with oppoA sitely disposed convergent faces which. are preferablyconstructed as wedge shaped channels 1l that converge longitudinall)vtoward the interior of the body ot the casing. Slidahly mounted in therespective channels i4 and conforming to the shape thereof is a pair ofwedge members 15 which are adapted to have a relative movement towardand from each other. Spring means interposed between the wed-gres 15 andcolupressihle h v thc relative transverse more ment ol' said wedgesconstautlj,Y tend to cau-.2c separation ot said wedges, while means areprovided for liniitinzgr the ext-ent lo whirh said wedges ma),Y moveawa'l' troni earl; ol hor. The spriulhr moans prct'erahlv einploywlconsisis ol a pluralityv ot transvcrsclwvv extending springs lo cach ofwhirh is seated in sockets or spring seats 17 inthe wedges 1T. 'l'hemoans |n'vierahluv proiidcd for limiting the separation of the wedgesconsists of a transversely extending holt iS which passes between lla`springs lil and extends through suitable apertures lll in said wedges.ln order to arvouuuodato the head oil the holt and its nut. each olE thewedges is provided with an appropriatcl \v enlarged recess lll ol'sulliricut dcplh to allow the wedges to slidil in the channels li andapproach ear-h other without rausiingr thc holt to foul the hodlv ol therasiiuj. The holt iti prct'iiahlv extends through thi'- wcdges i3 so asto he in alincnlcnt with the opposlcli listin-51rd channels lvl, lhc.strength of (lic walgrs there liv living hat little impaired.

1; the inner rnd.` llic wed lonlgfitudinail;y nm-al; yieldingljsupported Vallo-:scr

tending springs 22 and Q3 seated upon the end cap or closure 2 of thecasing. When the parts are in normal position the opposite ends of thefollower 21 bear against Stop shoulders '2i formed on the body of thecasing' at the inner ends of the convergent chan- The enifagi1niV laces25' and 26, respectively, ot the follower and wedges l5 extend ohliquelyto the direction of travel of the said follower, and it is preferredthat the noter end feces 2T ot' the wedges shall also engage thecorresponding faces 28 of the follower l in planes extending obliquel tothe direction ot travel of the followers. t uch a velisti-infirmAgenerates greater frictional retanc! for the absorption of Shock.assi.Y in ctiecting' the return ot' the parts to normal pi'isition. andincreases the lateral stability o the mechanism. To prevent too gri-catbursting strain upon the casing the 'faces 2T and 2S upon the follower 3prefer- ,ahly have a less tra 'inverse inclination than that of thelai-es and 26.

lt desired, the elements of the mechanism hy which the trictionalresistance is generated ma): have their rubbingr faces or surfacesformed ot any suitable metal, such l'or e'Kan'iple as lnass` and in thedrawings l. have illustrated the use of special metal inserts or ta ings2t) on the surfaces of the wedges 15 which engage the casing and similarinserts 3U for thc inclined faces of the inner follower 21. These latterfacings, if employed. may conveniently extend to the transverse ril; Blwith which said follower :nav he formed tor the purpose of strength ningit and also to provide means for preiniing the wedges 15' fromapproaching closely enough to damage their interposed springs l0. Theforwekrd follower 30 also naiv he giro-hud with" a similar tansverseiil.y or 122 projectingr between the forward ende `d the wedges l5 andperforming;r

a tuurioi, .ilar to that of the rili 3l.

la assemhling the mechanism the follower 2l is inserted in the hodymember 1 of the rasinpr and seated upon the stop shoulders 24 (herr-ol'.The springs 22 and Q3 are there- :Iller inserted and the rear cap orcover plate .2 of the casing is applied and secured in position h v thekeys G. an initial compression thus readily being imparted to'thesprings it desired. The springs 16 having Iii-cn interposed between theWedges 15 and the latter having been connected h v the linnsvcrsclvextending: bolt i8, these mehr irais' thus a seuihlcd are inseited inthe outer cad of thiI nody of the casing l so that the wedges arepositioned in the ronrergent lt-naci liwitli their inner ends hearingminst lla inner lollowerQl. The auxiliary i then placed in theirrespectlie posts 8 of the follower 3 aid tan-kers and the keys lz illiCri All

are passed through the slots 1? in the easing; and through the notilies1t in the posts S, thereby niovalily attaeliinir the follower il to thebody of the easing.

The eonsli'uetion being substantially as hereinbefore dewribeil. itsoperation will be as follows: Forffoni'enieiire of deneiiption, butwithout intent to impose any limitation thereby. tlie portion of thenieelianism at the right hand end ot' Fig. l will be termed the outereiid of the derive. wliile that at the left; hand end of Fig. l will bereferred to as the inner end. Assuming that the shoelc to be absorbed isapplied to the follower 1i at the outer end of the inei-banism and that#he inner end ol the deriee in in engagement with suitable stopspreventii'ig its retreat. (for example. the stopa or ilieei platesapplied to the draft or eenter sills of a earl the foren aetiii; r uponthe follower Il forees it and the wedges 't5 inwardly so that the lattersimultaneously slide in the elianiiels ll of the easing, therebydisplacing the follower 2l from itaI Seat upon the shoulders 24- ot' theeasing: and rain-:ing a roi-responding compression ot' the main springs.22 and Q3. Owingi to the inward eoniergenee of the rliannels: t4 'inwhieli the wedges :dido the latter during their inward movement approacheaeli other and valise the springs t6 ainiiiltaiieoiisl)Y to becompressed. At the saine time also the in` ward movement of the followerIl enables the poe-it S thereof to effect the Compression of thelongitudinally extending auxiliary springs lll upon wliieh sueh poqtsbear. AS the wedges l in e.\;erutinglr their sliding' movement in theilianiielS ti are pressed against the body l of the easing not only byreason of the fori-e exerted by the springe. li', lint also bei-anse ofthe inclined eoiitai't of Said wedges with the followerrl t and 21.renpertii'ely. friction is generated between eaeli of the wedges and thefares of the eliannels til with wliii'li they i'oiitziet, the wedgeIliaped form of the eliannels rausiiig the` friction due 'to thepressure ol' the spring l and iiielined fai-es of the followers to belargely augmented, 'lhe relative iiioi'enient of the wedges withrei-'peet to the outer follower Il and tlie inner 'follower 2l,etl'eeted by the iiielined bearings of tle followiirs upon the ends ofthe wedges, also prodiieenl friction between the follower4 and wedgeswliieli assista iii absorbing the .-zhoek. 'Yhen the forro eaiising theinward movement of tho follower Il is withdrawn the springs lil. lo. .22and 23 expand and in doin;r So Pause tlie sei'- ei'al parts of thederive to he restored to normal position, as will he readily understood,the ineliued eontartiiig .fares of the wedges and follower-l aiding inthe return of the wedges 15 by minimizing any tendem'y of the latter tostiel( or bind in the eliannels lil. lf the shoek to he absorbed isapplied to the rap or rover plate l at the inner end ot the easing'while the follower 3 is held stationary by pressing against. suitablestops or aluitinents, the operation of the mecha.- nisni will be thesame as that heretofore (lesriilietl. the only difference. being thatthe relative movement of the wedges 15 with respect to the bodyv of theeasing 1 is effected by movingr the body of the easing instead of movingthe wedges. AUpon cessation of the foree by which the body l of thecasing is driven toward the follower 3, the expansion of the springswith whieh the mechanism is provided restores the parts to their normalposiit'ioii,

l. lu a dei'iee of the, ffharactor indicati@ the combination withyielding means: of a. easing. a plurality of simultaneously .movablewedge@l wliieli are slidable in Contact with said easing and areadapted' tio ap.- 85 proaeli and lsepa rate from eachother, sprinmeans-i interposed between Said Wedges and eoinpressible thereby, and iafollower movable with rin-:peet to ,-aii'l casing and interposed betweensaid yielding means and said wedges and adapted to be actuated by saidwedges. said follower and lQaid wedges having ennuie-ingi tai-esintending;i ohliiliiely to the direction ot' travel of Said follower andeonvergring toward said spring means.

2. ln :i derive ol' the eliai'ai'tei indieated, the combination withyielding means. of a. en -ing provided with convergent channels ol'wedge 'foi-iii. a plurality of relatively movable iiieiiilierz-4 ot'i\ed :'e ri'oss seetioii Siniill- 10U taiieoiiz-ly `slidablerispei'tively in the Said i-liaiiiiel` and adapted to energize Saidyieldiin;- means. spring' meaiml interposed between iid relativi-lymovable iniiiltaneously slidable members and adi-.phd to be energizedthereby. and a follower haring wedging engagement with saidsiinultaiieoi-isly slidahle members and interposed between SaidSimultaneously ulidable iiieniberh` and Said yielding means. i710 Il.lii a derive of the eliaraeter indicated; Ilie eoinliiiiation williyieldiii;r means, 0f a. rasiiigx movable iii one direction only from innormal position` a plurality of simultaiieoiisly movable wedges Slidablyengaging tia lmid easing;4 :uid adapted to xtpplnt'll and separate fromearh other. spring means C0m-' presaible by said wedges: upon theirmovement toward eaili other. Said spring mea'hs being rompre-:sible in:i direi-tion angular to 12a tlie direi-tion of eoiuprei-'sion .of saidyielding means. a follower engaging: the inner end:- of sa id wedgesanil interposed between mid wedgiieh` and said yielding means, and a.foilower engaging the` outer ends of Said wedges. said followers andSaid wedges having engaging fai-e,-` eritending oliliqnely t0 thedireetion ot' travel of said followers.

l. lii a dei'iee of the eliaraeter lndil'ated. the combination -withyieldingi means, of a wedges slidalllc within said easing',

iffollower adapted to energize said means.` a`

casing having interiorfaces which are ini clineiil `with respect totheiflireetion of travel ilaccs extending obliquely lo the direction ot'travel of said followers. i

5. In a devicey ol the character indicated, the combination withyielding means, of a follower adapted to energize said means, aplurality ol' relatively movable members enedging said follower andadapted lo aetuate lhe same. `airing means interposed between ,andcomprcssible by said relatively movable members. and a follower engagingthe ende of :said relatively movable members o ipoeite the aid followerfirst named, said followers and said relatively movable members havingengaging faces extending at different angles so the direction of travalof said followers, the 4said faces of the irst named follower beingoblique Vto its direction of travel` il. in a device of the characterindicated, ilie combination with a caaing provided willi channels of'wedge form which converge longiindinalljv. of longitudinallycompreseihle apring means, a plnralit)r of relatively mov- :diie membersof wedge croatl section simulta-V nconaly slidable 'rcspeclively in saidchannels and `adapted to cause compression of said longitudinally'compreasible spring menne, `epring means comprensible by Saidrelatively movable members: in a direction angular to the direction ofcompression of Said longi-` tudinally comprcssible spring means, :andmeans interposed between said long fitudi` nnlly comprensible springmeans and said einmltanconelv sliflahle members tending to separate thelatter.

'i'. ln a device of the character indicated,"

the combination with yielding incanaof a casing having convergentV facesupon its inter-lfm a plurality ol ysimultancouely and relatively movablewedges slidfalily engaging said convergent faces and adapted lo causesaid yielding` means `to be energized, meansl interposed between saidWedges and tending to cause. their separation, and means extendingVthrough said wedges when in assembled position in said cae-ing forlimiting the scp arationo sailwvedges.

8. 'in a device of the character indicated, the combination with.vie-ddin" moans, oi' a canine, a plurality1 ol' relatue movable aSpring intcrnosed between said wedges and comspring menney and pressiblethereb and means extending through said we gee when in assembledposition in said casing for limiting the separation oi' said Wedges.

9. ln a delire of the character indicated, the comhinatimi will; springmeans, of a casing having` convergent channels of wedge form. aililnrality o' relatively movable members of wedge cross sectionsimultaneously slidable respcclivcly in .wald channels and adapted locanile comprebiaion ol Said Spring means. spring means inlerpoeedbetween said rirlativclyV mov: ble mcmbcra and adapted to be compressedthereby, and a holt` extending throngl. and limiting .separation of saidrelatively movable mci'nbers, within :said easing, said bolt extendingfrom one of l:.aid channels toward anotlnfr of said channels.

ifi. In :l device if libe character indicated` the combination Milli aenfin; having a plurality ol' sliding socio-ls. nl a tpring in each olSaidockets, a follower having a plurality of posts respeu ivelvextending into said sockets and adapted to compress said Sprillgs.,Spring means within said casing, and a plurality of wedges interposedbetween said spring means and `Qaid follower andl adapted to onergineaaid epring menne.

1l. ln aileviec ol' lhc character indicated, the. `combination willi acaeinjg adapted at one end to receive epring mcaml and adapted at theother end to receive friction elemente coiperaing with raid apringnie-.ine` of spring means and friction elemente within, Said ing. acover rigidly bui, iletaehahly Secured to :aid casing and .forming aclosure for one end tlscl'col', and a folii'incr detach ably connectedto will? caring and slidahly Infn'zllde with Ieapcci thereto andconstituting a cloeilrc for the olber end oil said casing, .saidfollower' being` adapted to engage stik tio'narj'follower slop, upon thccar and to limit the eniclgelr'l` olh eziid friclion clemente from saidraming, and said casing being provided with mean` im' limiling illeexpansion of laid spring mean.

l2. ln a device ol' ilse liamcter indicated, a casing adapted lo receivecooperating iriciion clemente, said casing; comprising an open-curledbody porlion provided at can-l; ol' it" cnda` with :i pluralill'yr ofrecense :i plurality o' cover plaies cachpz'ovided niili a plurality ofstil ls,tl1c, ainda upon tbcy riepcciiicu cover platre` being adapted locuter vwill rcccawh at' opposite ends ol said body portion` and ifi-.yni'cspcc tively engaging: ,wald tada and .body portion for conncclingsaid coicr plaie` and body portion, one ot" eaid lover platea beingcapablcoi a limilwd movement with respect to the other.

In icaimony vvlicrcol l il" l liv-( lli alli);

l Il YMUNH.

llll

